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Shiv Sena (Devanāgarī: शिव सेना Śīv Senā), meaning Army of Shiva, referring to Shivaji is a nationalist political party in India founded on June 19, 1966 by Bal Thackeray, who is currently the president of the party. The Sena's ideology is based on the concepts of 'Bhumiputra' (Marathi for "Sons of the Soil") and Hindutva or Hindu nationalism. The 'Bhumiputra' ideology refers to the Shiv Sena's belief that Maharashtrians (Marathi People) deserve more rights in Maharashtra than those who are not from Maharashtra.^[1] However, in recent times, the Sena has laid more emphasis on Hindutva. In the 13th Lok Sabha (1999-2004), it had 15 (out of 545) members. During that period, the party was part of the National Democratic Alliance, which ruled at the national level. Manohar Joshi, a Shiv Sainik, was the Speaker of Lok Sabha 2002-2004. The Shiv Sena also ruled the Maharashtra state in its past and is one of the most influential Hindutva parties in the region. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ... The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is a coalition in India. ... For Veer Savarkars book Hindutva, see Hindutva. ... Eugène Delacroixs Liberty Leading the People, symbolising French nationalism during the July Revolution 1830. ... () is an abugida script used to write, either along with other scripts, or exclusively, several Indian languages, including Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi, Sindhi, Bihari, Bhili, Marwari, Konkani, Bhojpuri, languages from Nepal like Nepali, Tharu Nepal Bhasa and sometimes Kashmiri and Romani. ... Shivaji Bhosle, also known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhosle (Marathi: छत्रपती शिवाजीराजे भोसले) (Born:February 19, 1627, Died: March 4, 1680) was the founder of Maratha empire in western India in 1674. ... Nationalism is an ideology that creates and sustains a nation as a concept of a common identity for groups of humans. ... Political Parties redirects here. ... is the 170th day of the year (171st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... Bal Keshav Thackeray (Marathi: बाळ केशव ठाकरे bāḷ keÅ›av á¹­hākare) (born January 23, 1924), popularly called Balasaheb, and also Sher, Tiger, or Hindu Hridaysamrat, is the founder and president of the Shiv Sena, a Hindu nationalist, Marathi ethnocentric and populist party active mainly in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. ... For Veer Savarkars book Hindutva, see Hindutva. ... For Veer Savarkars book Hindutva, see Hindutva. ... The Lok Sabhha (alternatively titled, the House of the People, by the Constitution of India) is the lower house in the Parliament of India. ... The National Democratic Alliance is a name used by at least two groups India - National Democratic Alliance (India) Iraq - National Democratic Alliance (Iraq) Sudan - National Democratic Alliance (Sudan) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Manohar Joshi, affectionately known as Joshi Sir (born December 2, 1937) is an Indian politician. ... The Speaker of the Lok Sabha is the presiding officer of the lower house of Parliament of India. ... , Maharashtra (Marathi: महाराष्ट्र , IPA  , translation: Great Nation) is Indias third largest state in area and second largest in population after Uttar Pradesh. ...

Shiv Sena has its employment cell Shiv Udyog Sena. Bharatiya Kamgar Sena ("Indian Worker's Army"), a labour union, is affiliated to the Shiv Sena. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena ("All India Students' Army") is the student wing of Shiv Sena. A union (labor union in American English; trade union, sometimes trades union, in British English; either labour union or trade union in Canadian English) is a legal entity consisting of employees or workers having a common interest, such as all the assembly workers for one employer, or all the workers...

History

Shiv Sena poster in Kolkata

Bombay was given to the British East India Company in 1666, having formed a part of Catherine of Braganza's dowry to Charles II of England. At this time it consisted of a series of islands inhabited by the Kolis, fishermen from whom the southernmost island of the Bombay peninsula, Colaba, took its name.With its establishment as a Presidency town in the later seventeenth century Bombay began to attract migrants in large numbers from the Mughal port of Surat and elsewhere, notably Parsis and Gujaratis, both Hindu and Muslim. By 1849 out of a total city population of 566,119, the British classified 296,931 as Hindus, with the remainder made up of Muslims, Parsis, Indian Christians, Jews, Anglo-Indians and Europeans.^[2] Bombay boomed in the second half of the nineteenth century after the Governorship of Sir Bartle Frere, and became the most cosmopolitan city in India, with communities from every part of the subcontinent as well as Arabs and Baghdadi Jews. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (960x1280, 185 KB)Shiv Sena poster in Kolkata. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (960x1280, 185 KB)Shiv Sena poster in Kolkata. ... , “Calcutta” redirects here. ... The British East India Company, sometimes referred to as John Company, was the first joint-stock company (the Dutch East India Company was the first to issue public stock). ... Catherine of Braganza (November 25, 1638 – November 30, 1705) (Catherine Henrietta, Portuguese: Catarina Henriqueta de Bragança), was the queen consort of King Charles II of England. ... Charles II (29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685) was the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. ... Kolis are a caste or tribe of Western India, of uncertain origin. ... Colaba is a part of the city of Bombay. ... The tone or style of this article or section may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. ... a person from Pars (the middle-Persian word for Fars), a region now within the geographical boundaries of Iran, and is roughly the original homeland of the Persian people. ... Gujarati can mean two distinct things: The Gujarati language is a language spoken in India,and pakistan [1] mostly in and around the Gujarat state. ... Sir Henry Bartle Edward Frere, 1st Baronet (March 29, 1815 - May 29, 1884) was a British administrator. ... Languages Arabic other minority languages Religions Predominantly Sunni Islam, as well as Shia Islam, Greek Orthodoxy, Greek Catholicism, Roman Catholicism, Alawite Islam, Druzism, Ibadi Islam, and Judaism Footnotes a Mainly in Antakya. ... The Baghdadi Jews are one of the main Jewish communities of India. ...

At the time of independence, marathi and konkani people formed the majority in Bombay. The state of Bombay of which the city of Bombay was the capital included the state of Gujarat. The businesses in Bombay were controlled by non-hindu communities as they were preferred under the British rule. ^[3]. In 1961, state of Maharashtra and Gujarat were created with Bombay as the capital of state of Maharashtra. There were moves to have Bombay as a Union Territory along the lines of New Delhi, but this was defeated by the Samyukta Maharashtra movement. ^{[4] [5]} After the incorporation of the Bombay presidency in the Marathi-speaking state of Maharashtra migration to Bombay increased;^[6] non-Marathas, especially people belonging to the Parsis and Bagdad Jews communities, continued to dominate industry and trade in the city, whilst Marathis constituted much of the proletariat and lower middle-class.^[7] At India level, the port city of Surat handled all export/import traffic,city of Calcutta was the financial capital of India and Madras was the industrial capital of India. A Union Territory is an administrative division of India. ...

Maharashtra government in 1960s championed business friendly policies coupled with massive infrastructure investments to attract businesses into the state. While Maharashtra attracted businesses states like West Bengal and Tamil Nadu repelled businesses by pursuing communist and linguistic nationalism driven policies. Lack of investment in Surat's port infrastructure led to decline in traffic at the port. Gujarat invested all their scarce funds in creation of Gandhi Nagar, a brand new city, which is the state's capital. Financial services companies from Calcutta relocated to Bombay and Mazagaon port surpassed Surat as India business port. India PSU (Public Sector Units) opened their headquarters in Bombay. This created a mini-boom in Bombay and a large number people from all over India migrated to Bombay. As the PSUs were politically controlled the management in these organization were political appointees primarily from South India. Traders from Gujarat and Sindh migrated to Mumbai to open small businesses. The Shiv Sena was thus born out of a feeling of resentment about the 'marginalization' of Marathis in Bombay.^[8]

The Shiv Sena attracted a large number of disgruntled and often unemployed Maharashtrian youth and white collar maharashtrian workers in PSUs, who were pulled towards Thackeray's charged and frank discussion of issues (nepotism in PSUs, uncontrolled migration of labour into Mumbai, Lack of credit to marathis to start small businesses etc.) closer to economic life of marathi people. ^[1].In the early years of the Sena, the party's widely circulated Marathi language-weekly Marmik was instrumental in inflamming anti-migrant sentiment among Mumbai's Maharashtrians.^[9] Thackeray, then a cartoonist for the Free Press journal, initially targeted the growing number of South Indians by inflammatory slogans like "lungi hatao pungi bajao" (referring to the lungi, a Marathi word for the traditional men's dress in South India)^[1], and "yendu gundu" (a derogatory description of the Dravidian languages spoken by the people from South India).^[10] During this period, Shiv Sainiks launched a string of attacks on the South-Indian owned Udupi restaurants that were becoming popular in Mumbai.^[9] In a similar manner, Thackeray later targeted Gujaratis, Marwaris, Biharis, and people from North Indian states like Uttar Pradesh ('UPites') through his speeches.^[11]. The geographical south of India includes all Indian territory below the 20th parallel. ... The Dravidian family of languages includes approximately 26 languages that are mainly spoken in southern India and Sri Lanka, as well as certain areas in Pakistan, Nepal, and eastern and central India. ... , For other uses, see Udupi (disambiguation). ... Gujarati can mean two distinct things: The Gujarati language is a language spoken in India,and pakistan [1] mostly in and around the Gujarat state. ... Birthplace of Marwari Clans Marwaris are the people from the Marwar region of Rajasthan in India. ... Bihari is a name given to a group of Indo-Aryan languages spoken in the Bihar region of India. ... Dark green region marks the approximate extent of northern India while the regions marked as light green lies within the sphere of north Indian influence. ... , Uttar Pradesh (Hindi: , Urdu: , IPA:  , translation: Northern Province), [often referred to as U.P.], located in central-south Asia and northern India, is the most populous and fifth largest state in the Republic of India. ...

The Sena started placing more weight on the Hindutva ideology in the 1970s as the hallmark 'sons of the soil' cause was weakening.^[1] With the shift to Hindutva, Thackeray increasingly made some controversial moves against Muslims and neighboring Pakistan. The party largely reformed its ideology from Maharashtrian ethnocentrism to Hindutva, extending their influence to South Indian States such as Karnataka^[12]. For Veer Savarkars book Hindutva, see Hindutva. ... There is also a collection of Hadith called Sahih Muslim A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Persian: Mosalman or Mosalmon Urdu: مسلمان, Turkish: Müslüman, Albanian: Mysliman, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of the religion of Islam. ... , Karnataka (Kannada: , IPA:  ) is a state in the southern part of India. ...

The party has ruled the Maharastra State in coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Party. The SS-BJP did however lose the 2004 state assembly election. The Sena is now the main opposition party in the state. The BJP-SS combine governs the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. Traditionally the main strongholds of SS have been Mumbai and the Konkan coastal areas. However, in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections the result was reversed. The Shiv Sena made inroads in the interior parts of the state, while suffering losses in Mumbai. The Shiv Sena was successful in the 2006 Municipal Corporations elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party [BJP] (Hindi: , translation: Indian Peoples Party), created in 1980, is a major right wing Indian political party. ... , Bombay redirects here. ... , Bombay redirects here. ... It has been suggested that History of the Konkan be merged into this article or section. ... Legislative elections were held in India, the worlds largest democracy, in four phases between April 20 and May 10, 2004. ...

Party structure

As the president of the party Bal Thackeray takes all major decisions, and has claimed that he ran the Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party government of 1995 to 1999 with what he called a 'remote control.' Activists and members of the Shiv Sena call themselves Shiv Sainiks, and carry out most of the party's grassroot work. In recent times, Thackeray does not concern himself with day-to-day activities of the party, which is run by his youngest son Uddhav Thackeray. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

The recently refurbished Sena Bhavan located in the Dadar locality in Mumbai has served as the headquarters of the Sena since 1976.^[13] The Sena's shakhas (local offices) spread throughout the state of Maharashtra as well as in selected locations in other states decide upon most of the local issues in their particular cities or towns.^[14] Dadar station (E) with a view of the Shri Swaminarayan BAPS mandir. ...

Achievements of the Shiv Sena

Shiv Sena and industry

Industrialists were generally satisfied with the Sena's clout—since Sena leader Thackeray's draconian control over the employees would ensure a peaceful work environment ^[3].

Shiva Sena encourages maharashtrian business. Indian business communities operate in opaque ways. Communities control credit, market control by creation of unofficial langugage based cartels. Shiv Sena busts these community operated cartels by extending credit to maharashtrian businessman and enables access to markets and government contracts. Shiv Sena believes business is a learned skill and anybody can be a business man if the banking and markets are open and fair to all. Just like Indian government at the national level protects Indian businessman (who make very shoddy uncompetitive products) from international competition, maharashtrian government should protect maharashtrian business against business communities of India who operate in non-transparent ways. Under the shiv sena administration over 100,000 maharashtrian youths have started small businesses.[REFERENCE NEEDED]

Claims of benefits to Maharashtrians

Supporters of the Sena have claimed that the party has benefited the Marathi Manus (Marathi man) in Mumbai^[15], especially in the public sector.^[3] However, the Sena has allegedly done little to solve the problem of unemployment facing a large proportion of Maharashtrian youth during its tenure, in contradiction to its ideological foundation of 'sons of the soil.'^[16]

Maharashtra government actively attracts domestic and international businesses to the state. The jobs created by these businesses that come to the state are mostly taken by people from other states due to lack of transparency in hiring practices in India. Shiv Sena runs an active campaign to make sure jobs created are offered to marathi people. Most of this is done through publicizing nepotism in corporations that operate in Maharashtra.

Dharavi emancipation

The Sena claims to have played a central role in the emancipation of 500,000 slum dwellers in the Dharavi area of Mumbai, the largest slum in Asia. ^[17] The state's policy of giving free houses to slum dwellers has been mired in controversy ever since it was introduced by the Shiv Sena-BJP government a decade ago [6] ^[18]. Dharavi is a heart-shaped settlement in central Mumbai, India. ...

Improvements in infrastructure

In addition, the Sena has been active in trying to improve infrastructure in Maharashtra, particularly in the financial capital of Mumbai. Nearly 55 flyovers in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai and the Mumbai-Pune Expressway were constructed under the Shiv Sena administration, which led to a significant infrastructural boom in Mumbai. While successive State governments have been guilty of neglecting Mumbai's transport problems, the erstwhile Shiv Sena-BJP government drastically altered the course. Moreover, by initiating a range of road schemes, the Sena unequivocally opted for private, motorised transport in preference to public transport.^[19].These moves have been a crucial factor in its increasing popularity within India and the promises of further improvement have boosted the Shiv Sena's campaigns. The Mumbai-Pune Expressway as seen from Khandala An overview of the expressway The Mumbai Pune Expressway (Marathi: मुंबई-पुणे द्रुतगती महामार्ग) is Indias first six-lane concrete, high-speed, access controlled tolled expressway. ...

In addition to improvements in transport infrastructure, the Shiv Sena has supported initiatives against proprietary technologies such as the "Conditional Access System" for television networks (which would have led to cable companies charging more for channels)^[20]. The Shiv Sena has also questioned the government’s procedure of divesting equity in oil refining and marketing majors, effectively "selling" profitable oil companies out^[21].

Mahila Aghadi

The women's front of the Shiv Sena, Mahila Aghadi, settles domestic disputes; from dowry demands to wife-beating, where they have taken a decidedly pro-Feminist stance. Through the use of aggressive tactics, they have reduced the instance of violence against women among the ranks of the Shiv Sena and their supporters^[22].

Minority support

Certain minority communities, such as Jews in India, are closely following the rise of Bal Thackeray, Shiv Sena and other Hindutva parties, since they see a possible supporters of Zionism in the Shiv Sena. The affinities between Hindus and Jews go beyond their shared perception of a Muslim adversary, and while secularism has been in the interest of Jews in most nations of exile, it may be that the Indian case is a notable exception.^[23]. A map of India, showing the main areas of Jewish concentration. ... Bal Keshav Thackeray (Marathi: बाळ केशव ठाकरे bāḷ keśav ṭhākare) (born January 23, 1924), popularly called Balasaheb, and also Sher, Tiger, or Hindu Hridaysamrat, is the founder and president of the Shiv Sena, a Hindu nationalist, Marathi ethnocentric and populist party active mainly in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. ... For Veer Savarkars book Hindutva, see Hindutva. ... This article is about Zionism as a movement, not the History of Israel. ...

Controversial activities of the Shiv Sena

The main controversy associated with Shiv Sena are media allegations of organized party violence against migrants to Maharashtra, Muslims and opposing parties/groups.The Shiv Sena protests have been known to sometimes break down into violence. The party has been involved in organized protests, pickets, market shutdowns and strikes that have been known to degenerate into violent clashes^[24], such as their attack on the Zee TV channel on February 8, 2006 in response to their broadcasting of a play that satirized their party^[25]. Zee TV is an India-based satellite television channel in the Zee Network umbrella, which carries broadcasts in Hindi, Urdu, and other regional languages of India. ... is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Vandalism at hospital

In August 2001, the Sunitidevi Singhania Hospital in Thane was ransacked after Anand Dighe, the local Shiv Sena chief who was being treated in the hospital, died of a massive heart attack. The hospital building, ambulances, medical equipment and the bloodbank was reduced to rubble during three hours of rioting and mayhem.[7]

Doctors, nurses and patients scurried for their lives after 1,500 people, reported to be mainly Shiv Sainiks, attacked the hospital. A six-year old child with a respiratory problem and a 65 year old man with a kidney ailment died after their medical equipment was wrecked by rioters. The Shiv Sena cited negligence on behalf of the hospital staff as a reason for Anand Dighe's death, and stated that the riots were a response to the same. [8]

In another incident, on September 17, 2003, the Bhaktivedanta hospital was shut down briefly after an attack by Shiv Sainiks, due to a wage-compensation disagreement between the hospital and the hospital workers' Union [9] is the 260th day of the year (261st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Shiv Sena and Krishna Desai

In the 1970s, Shiv Sena members were accused as responsible for killing Krishna Desai, CPI MLA from the Parel neighbourhood in Central Mumbai. However, the attackers were not indicted for murder.^[26] CPI may stand for: Center for Public Integrity Central Port Injection, see fuel injection Centre Permanent Informatique Communist Party of India Congrès paléoethnologique international Consumer price index Cour pénale internationale This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share... A Member of Legislative Assembly, or MLA, is a representative elected by the voters of an electoral district to the Legislature of a State in the Indian system of government. ... Parel is a suburb of Mumbai. ...

Allegations of violence against Muslims

The Shiv Sena has also been accused of orchestrating violence against Muslims. The Sena is alleged by some to have played an active role in the riots in Mumbai following the demolition of the Babri Mosque in 1992 in the north-Indian holy city of Ayodhya. On 23 January 1993, the then Congress-led Government of Maharashtra appointed Justice B.N. Srikrishna (then a sitting Judge of the Bombay High Court) to head a one-man commission with the task of investigating the riots. The Commission indicted the Sena for its direct involvement in coordinating the anti-Muslim riots, and accused Thackeray of "commanding his loyal Shiv Sainiks to retaliate by organized attacks against Muslims."^[27] However, Thackeray was absolved of all criminal charges in July 2000 after seven years of judicial proceedings.^[28] A view of the Babri Mosque, pre-1992. ... Ayodhya   (Hindi: अयोध्या, Urdu: ایودھیا IAST Ayodhyā) is an ancient city of India, the old capital of Awadh, in the Faizabad district of Uttar Pradesh. ... is the 23rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Indian National Congress, (also known as the Congress Party and abbreviated INC) is a major political party in India. ... , Maharashtra (Marathi: महाराष्ट्र , IPA  , translation: Great Nation) is Indias third largest state in area and second largest in population after Uttar Pradesh. ... Justice B.N. Srikrishna (born May 21, 1941) is an Indian jurist and a retired Judge of the Supreme Court of India. ... The Bombay High Court was inaugurated on August 14, 1862. ...

In an interview in 1998, Thackeray claims to have tempered his stance on many issues that the Shiv Sena had with Muslims, particularly regarding the Babri Mosque or Ramjanmabhoomi issue ^[29], saying: "We must look after the Muslims and treat them as part of us." In addition, some members of the Sena claim that the party does not discriminate on the basis of religion and is based on pure nationalism.^[30] He has since reiterated his desire to establish a "Hindustan for Hindus" and "bring Islam in this country down to its knees".^[31] A view of the Babri Mosque, pre-1992. ... Ram Janmabhoomi is a location in the Indian city of Ayodhya which is believed by Hindus to be the birthplace of the god Rama. ...

Thackeray added, "Maharashtra cannot fight Islam alone. We need the Hindu community to unite and fight Islam."^[32] However, he has also expressed admiration for Muslims in Mumbai in the wake of the 11 July 2006 Mumbai train bombings allegedly perpetrated by Islamic Fundamentalists. In response to threats made by the leader of the communist Samaajwadi Party that accusations of terrorism directed at Indian Muslims would bring about violence from them, Thackeray said that the unity of Mumbaikars (residents of Mumbai) in the wake of the terrorist attacks was "a slap to fanatics of Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi" and that Thackeray "salute(s) those Muslims who participated in the two minutes' silence on July 18 to mourn the blast victims"^[33]On February 8, 2007, a Mumbai court issued a bailable warrant against Bal Thackeray for the statements he made during the anniversary celebrations of his party the year before. ^[34] However, he has also expressed admiration for Muslims in Mumbai in the wake of the 11 July 2006 Mumbai train bombings]] perpetrated by Islamic Fundamentalists. In response to threats made by the leader of the communist Samaajwadi Party that accusations of terrorism directed at Indian Muslims would bring about violence from them, Thackeray said that the unity of Mumbaikars (residents of Mumbai) in the wake of the terrorist attacks was "a slap to fanatics of Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi" and that Thackeray "salute(s) those Muslims who participated in the two minutes' silence on July 18 to mourn the blast victims"^[35] is the 192nd day of the year (193rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The phrase Islamic fundamentalism is primarily used in the West to describe Islamist groups. ... This article is about communism as a form of society and as a political movement. ... This article is becoming very long. ... is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 192nd day of the year (193rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The phrase Islamic fundamentalism is primarily used in the West to describe Islamist groups. ... This article is about communism as a form of society and as a political movement. ... This article is becoming very long. ... is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Allegations of damaging cricket pitches

Additionally, as part of their efforts to hamper any collaboration between India and its nuclear rival Pakistan, Shiv Sainiks have damaged cricket pitches in stadiums where the Indian and Pakistani cricket team were scheduled to play. The two instances of the Sena's targeting pitches are the damage of the pitch at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium in 1991 and the vandalizing of the Feroz Shah Kotla Grounds pitch in national capital Delhi in 1999.^[36] The Sena orchestrated these activities in an atmosphere of growing tensions between the two nations. This article is about the sport. ... Cricket pitch (not to scale) A wicket consists of three stumps that are placed into the ground, and topped with two bails. ... The Wankhede stadium. ... Established in 1883, the Feroz Shah Kotla - run by the politicised Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) - is undergoing its latest facelift - one that began over two years ago. ... For other uses, see Delhi (disambiguation). ...

Protest against the film Fire

In November 1998, Shiv Sena staged protests against the film Fire. The media alleged that Shiv Sena's protests were because the film depicted a lesbian relationship, which the Sena deemed inappropriate. However, Sena's position was that the film denigrated Hinduism by associating Hindu goddesses with lesbianism[10]. The film was criticized by feminist Madhu Kiswar for denigrating Indian culture [11]. Fire is a 1996 drama film directed by Deepa Mehta and starring Shabana Azmi and Nandita Das. ...

The matinee show of Fire was almost halfway through in a packed house when a group of women belonging to the Shiv Sena Mahila Aghadi -- the women's wing of the Sena -- barged into the theatre. Accompanied by MLA R. Mirlekar, they smashed glass panes, burnt posters and shouted slogans. However, no crimes were committed other than property destruction [12]. Shiv Sena also protested outside the home of the legendary Indian actor Dilip Kumar for defending the film. These protests prompted the Indian Supreme Court to issue orders to the government to provide full protection to the supporters of the movie and the leading filmmakers.^[37]

Meenatai desecration protests

On July 9, 2006, after some unidentified miscreants desecrated the statue of Meenatai (the late wife of Bal Thackeray), Shiv Sainiks blocked roads at Dadar in central Mumbai, set fire to a tourist bus and damaged a police outpost. Activists forcibly shut shops and staged traffic blockades in other parts of the city, as well. ^[38], and later launched statewide protests mired with isolated incidences of violence in Nagpur, Pune, Nashik and other cities in Maharashtra.^[39] [13] is the 190th day of the year (191st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... , Nāgpur   (Marathi: नागपुर) Third largest city in the western Indian state of Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune with a population of 2. ... , Pune (IPA: , Marathi: पुणे) is a city located in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. ... , Nashik (Marathi: ) ( ) or Nasik (Marathi: ) is a city in Indias Maharashtra state. ...

Shiv Sena and MNS clashes

On October 10, 2006 clashes erupted between supporters of Shiv Sena and Maharastra Navnirman Sena headed by Raj Thackeray. It was alleged that workers of MNS had tore the posters bearing the photographs of Shiv Sena Supremo Bal Thackeray near the SIES college in Mumbai. Later as retaliation it was alleged that Shiv Sena workers brought down the hoardings with Raj Thackeray's photo near the Sena Bhavan at Dadar. is the 283rd day of the year (284th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

As the news spread about the incident groups gathered near the Sena Bhavan and started pelting stones at each other. In this incident a policeman was injured and many supporters of both parties were injured. To restore normalcy in the situation the police fired tear gas shells at the mob.

Normalcy was eventually restored following police action and the appearance of Uddhav Thackeray and his cousin Raj Thackeray on the spot. Uddhav appealed to Sena workers to go back home ^[40], saying "The police will take necessary action. This is happening because many people are joining us from MNS. The defections have started and that is why they are resorting to such actions".Raj Thackeray asserts that MNS could not have vandalized the pictures, seeing as how he and his members revere Bal Thackeray^[41].

Richard Gere kissing controversy

On April 16, 2007 at an HIV/AIDS awareness rally for Indian truck drivers, American actor Richard Gere playfully kissed and hugged Indian actress Shilpa Shetty.^[42][43] However, following the kiss, protesters, allegedly members of the Shiv Sena, beat burning effigies of Gere with sticks.^[44] However, many people preferred to set fire to the glamorous shots of Shetty. People demanded an apology from her and threatened to ban her movies in the state.^[45]. Shiv Sena leaders denied involvement in the protests, but Shiv Sena member of parliament Sanjay Raut observed that that protests are "just a manifestation of the anger of the general public" and that there was "nothing wrong with expressing contempt at such an act"^[46] is the 106th day of the year (107th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Species Human immunodeficiency virus 1 Human immunodeficiency virus 2 Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS, a condition in humans in which the immune system begins to fail, leading to life-threatening opportunistic infections). ... For other uses, see AIDS (disambiguation). ... Richard Tiffany Gere[1] (born August 31, 1949) is an American actor. ... Shilpa Shetty (Tulu: ಶಿಲ್ಪ ಶೆಟ್ಟಿ) (born 8 June 1975 in Tamil Nadu, India) is an award-winning Indian film actress and model. ... The effigy of John Gower in Southwark Cathedral, London. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ...

Shiv Sena in literature

The novelist and Nobel laureate V. S. Naipaul mentioned the Shiv Sena in his book India: A Wounded Civilization: "There was one portrait. And interestingly, it was not of the leader of the Shiv Sena or of Shivaji, the 17 th century Maratha King, but of the long-dead Dr. Ambedkar...Popular-and near-ecstatic-movements like the Shiv Sena ritualize many different needs. The Sena here, honouring an angry and (for all his eminence) defeated man, seemed quite different from the Sena the newspapers wrote about." Naipaul asserts that there is a consistent media bias against Shiv Sena, expresses empathy with them and sees them as the only party who care about hygiene and health of the poor in the region^[47]. In an interview with Tehelka, Naipaul stated that Indian writers are out-of-touch with the ground realities of Shiv Sena and their activities with the lower classes of the region^[48]. The Nobel Prizes (pronounced no-BELL or no-bell) are awarded annually to people who have done outstanding research, invented groundbreaking techniques or equipment, or made outstanding contributions to society. ... Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul, KB, TC (b. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Tehelka is an Indian weekly newspaper under the editorship of Tarun Tejpal. ...

Writer Suketu Mehta discussed the Shiv Sena in Maximum City, his 2004 book on Mumbai. Mehta interviewed Bal Thackeray and a number of street-level Shiv Sena members, and claims that they admitted to "gang violence on Muslims." Suketu Mehta is a novelist and journalist based in New York City. ... Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found is a narrative nonfiction book by Suketu Mehta, published in 2004, about the Indian city of Mumbai (Bombay). It was published in hardcover by Random Houses Alfred A. Knopf imprint. ...

Recent electoral victories

The Shiv Sena achieved electoral victories in local Maharashtra elections on February, 2007, together with their partner the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, and are set for another five year term[14]. They have achieved this on the platform of preference to Maharashtrians, which appealed to their vote bloc[15]. , Maharashtra (Marathi: महाराष्ट्र , IPA  , translation: Great Nation) is Indias third largest state in area and second largest in population after Uttar Pradesh. ... The Bharatiya Janata Party [BJP] (Hindi: , translation: Indian Peoples Party), created in 1980, is a major right wing Indian political party. ... ... The Marathi people or Maharashtrians (Marathi: मराठी माणसं or महाराष्ट्रीयन)are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group that inhabit the Maharashtra region and state of western India. ...

The Sena-led combine, which had suffered serious reverses in all the assembly by-elections in the past two years got 111 of the 227 seats. Out of the declared 226 seats, the Sena has won 83 seats, BJP 28, the left-wing opponents, the Indian National Congress won 71, and other opposition groups NCP won 14 while MNS won 7[16][17]. Indian National Congress, (also known as the Congress Party and abbreviated INC) is a major political party in India. ...

See also

• Nepal Shivsena
• Hindu nationalist parties

Nepal Shivsena wall-painting, saying Down with Maoism Nepal Shivsena is a Hindu nationalist party in Nepal. ... This is a list of political parties professing to follow Hindu nationalism // Ajeya Bharat Party Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha (All India Hindu Council) Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha[1] Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Shakti Dal Akhil Bharatiya Jan Sangh Akhil Bharatiya Ram Rajya Parishad Akhil Bharatiya Shivsena Rashtrawadi Akhand Hindustan Morcha Apna...

External links

• Official Shiv Sena newspaper
• Official Shiv Sena party website
• Shiv Sena Worli Shakha
• Shiv Sena Kerala

Books & articles

Books - Marathi

• Bhosale, Harshad (2004): ‘Mumbai Mahanagarpalika Nivadnuk’ in Palshikar Suhas and Nitin Birmal (eds), Maharashtrache Rajkaran Pratima, Pune.
• Maharashtratil Sattantar, Vora Rajendra and Suhas Palshikar, Granthali, Mumbai 1996
• Bhosale,Harshad(2006),"Mumbaichya Vikasacha Arthik,Rajakiya Ani Samajik Sandarbha",in Bi monthly APLA PARAM MITRA, Sept-oct-2006,year 5,issue-3.

Books - English

• Ethnicity and Equality: The Shiv Sena Party and Preferential Policies in Bombay, MF Katzenstein - 1979 - Cornell University Press
• Warriors in Politics: Hindu Nationalism, Violence, and the Shiv Sena in India, S Banerjee - 2000 - Westview Press
• The Sena Story, Purandare Vaibhav, Business Publications, Mumbai,(1999)
• The Charisma of Direct Action: Power, Politics, and the Shiv Sena, JM Eckert - 2003 - Oxford University Press
• Nativism in a Metropolis: The Shiv Sena in Bombay, D Gupta - 1982 – Manohar (OUP 1996)
• Shiv Sena: An Assessment, Palshikar, Suhas, Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Pune, Pune (1999)

Articles

• The Rebirth of Shiv Sena: The Symbiosis of Discursive and Organizational Power, Mary Fainsod Katzenstein, Uday Singh Mehta, Usha Thakkar, The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 56, No. 2 (May, 1997), pp. 371-390
• Saffronisation of the Shiv Sena, J Lele - Bombay: Metaphor for Modern India, 1995
• Cultural Populism: The Appeal of the Shiv Sena, G Heuzé - Bombay: Metaphor for Modern India, 1995
• The Shiv Sena’s new avatar: Marathi chauvinism and Hindu communalism, R Sardesai - Politics in Maharashtra, 1995
• The Rhetoric of Hindu Nationalism: A Narrative of Mythic Redefinition, Robert C. Rowland, Abhik Roy; Western Journal of Communication, Vol. 67, 2003
• Regenerating Masculinity in the Construction of Hindu Nationalist Identity: A Case Study of Shiv Sena, Abhik Roy, Communication Studies, Volume 57, Number 2 / June 2006,
• The Feminization of Violence in Bombay: Women in the Politics of the Shiv Sena, S Banerjee - Asian Survey, 1996
• The vernacularisation of Hindutva: The BJP and Shiv Sena in rural Maharashtra, Thomas Blom Hansen Contributions to Indian Sociology, Vol. 30, No. 2, 177-214 (1996)
• The Shiv Sena: A Movement in Search of Legitimacy R Joshi - Asian Survey, 1970
• Origins of Nativism: The Emergence of Shiv Sena in Bombay MF Katzenstein - Asian Survey, 1973
• Sardesai, Rajdeep ‘Shiv Sena’s New Avatar: Marathi Chauvinism and Hindu Communalism’ in Usha Thakkar and Mangesh Kulkarni (eds), Politics in Maharashtra, Himalaya, Mumbai, pp 127-46 (1995)
• " City of Mongrel Joy": Bombay and the Shiv Sena in Midnight's Children and The Moor's Last Sigh, R Trousdale - JOURNAL OF COMMONWEALTH LITERATURE, 2004

articles available in net

• The Shiv Sena: An Eruption of Subnationalism, Morkhandikar R S, Economic and Political Weekly, October 21, pp 1903-06 (1967
• Shiv Sena: A Tiger with Many Faces? S Palshikar - Economic and Political Weekly, 2004
• The Charisma of Autocracy Bal Thackeray's Dictatorship in Shiv Sena J Eckert - MANUSHI, 2002
• Shiv Sena andNational'Hinduism, G Heuze - ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL WEEKLY, 1992

v • d • e Political parties in India
National coalitions	Left Front - National Democratic Alliance - United Progressive Alliance
Recognized national parties[49]	Bahujan Samaj Party - Bharatiya Janata Party - Communist Party of India - Communist Party of India (Marxist) - Indian National Congress - Nationalist Congress Party
Recognized state parties[50]	All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam - All India Forward Bloc - Arunachal Congress - Asom Gana Parishad - Biju Janata Dal - Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation - Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam - Federal Party of Manipur - Hill State People's Democratic Party - Indian National Lok Dal - Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra - Jammu & Kashmir National Conference - Jammu & Kashmir National Panthers Party - Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party - Janata Dal (Secular) - Janata Dal (United) - Janathipathiya Samrakshana Samithy - Jharkhand Mukti Morcha - Kerala Congress (Mani) - Kerala Congress - Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party - Manipur People's Party - Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam - Meghalaya Democratic Party - Mizo National Front - Mizoram People's Conference - Muslim League Kerala State Committee - Nagaland People's Front - Nationalist Democratic Movement - Nationalist Trinamool Congress - Pattali Makkal Katchi - Rashtriya Janata Dal - Rashtriya Lok Dal - Revolutionary Socialist Party - Samajwadi Party - Shiromani Akali Dal (Simranjit Singh Mann) - Shiromani Akali Dal - Shiv Sena - Sikkim Democratic Front - Telugu Desam Party - United Democratic Party - United Goans Democratic Party - Uttarakhand Kranti Dal - Zoram Nationalist Party
Other parties in parliament	All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen - Bharatiya Navshakti Party - Lok Janshakti Party - Loktantrik Jan Samta Party - National Loktantrik Party - Republican Party of India (Athvale) - Samajwadi Janata Party (Rashtriya)
Portal:Politics - List of political parties - Politics of India

is the 294th day of the year (295th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Political parties in India lists political parties in India. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_India. ... Left Front election propaganda in Kolkata 2004 DSP-meeting in Kolkata West Bengal Left Front Committee meeting for solidarity with Tripura Left Front is an alliance of Indian leftist parties. ... The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is a coalition in India. ... United Progressive Alliance (UPA) is the present ruling coalition of political parties in India. ... For the Nepalese party, see Bahujan Samaj Party, Nepal. ... The Bharatiya Janata Party [BJP] (Hindi: , translation: Indian Peoples Party), created in 1980, is a major right wing Indian political party. ... The Communist Party of India (CPI) is a political party in India. ... The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (abbreviated CPI(M) or CPM) is a political party in India. ... Indian National Congress, (also known as the Congress Party and abbreviated INC) is a major political party in India. ... This January 2007 needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling. ... Dr M. G. Ramachandran Janaki Ramachandran second Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu from AIADMK Party All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) (Tamil: அனைத்து இந்திய அண்ணா திராவிட முன்னேற்ற கழகம்) is a regional political party in Tamil Nadu state in India. ... The All India Forward Bloc is a leftwing nationalist political party in India. ... Arunchal Congress election symbol Arunachal Congress is a regional political party in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. ... Asom Gana Parishad (Assam Peoples Association), political party in Assam, India. ... The Biju Janata Dal is a regional party of the Indian state of Orissa. ... Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation is a communist political party in India. ... DMK redirects here. ... The Federal Party of Manipur is a political party recognised in the Indian state of Manipur. ... The Hill State Peoples Democratic Party is a political party of the Indian state of Meghalaya. ... Indian National Lok Dal, a political party in India, based in the state of Haryana. ... INPT flag Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra, political party in the Indian state of Tripura. ... Executive President Prime Minister The Union Ministries Legislative Parliament Rajya Sabha Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Lok Sabha Speaker of the House Judicial Supreme Court Chief Justice of the Supreme Court High Courts District Courts Constitution Fundamental Rights and Directive principles Regions States and territories Elections General Elections State Assembly... The Jammu & Kashmir National Panthers Party is a political party based in Jammu and Kashmir, India. ... € The Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party is a political party in Jammu and Kashmir, India. ... The Janata Dal (Secular) is a left of centre Indian political party. ... Janata Dal (United) is a political party in India. ... JSS party emblem, on a mural in Alappuzha Janathipathiya Samrakshana Samithy (Association for Defence of Democracy) is a political party in the Indian state of Kerala. ... Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (झारखंड मुक्ति मोर्चा) is a political party in India. ... The Kerala Congress (Mani faction) is a recognised state level political party in the Indian state of Kerala. ... Executive President Prime Minister The Union Ministries Legislative Parliament Rajya Sabha Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Lok Sabha Speaker of the House Judicial Supreme Court Chief Justice of the Supreme Court High Courts District Courts Constitution Fundamental Rights and Directive principles Regions States and territories Elections General Elections State Assembly... Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, the oldest political party in the Indian state of Goa. ... Manipur Peoples Party, a political party in the Indian state of Manipur. ... Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK; Tamil: மறுமலர்ச்சித் திராவிட முன்னேற்றக் கழகம் a political party in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu formed in 1994. ... The Meghalaya Democratic Party is a political party recognised in the India state of Meghalaya. ... Mizo National Front, a regional political party in Mizoram, India. ... Mizoram Peoples Conference, a regional political party in Mizoram, India. ... Executive President Vice-President Prime Minister Deputy Prime Minister The Union Ministries Legislative Parliament Rajya Sabha Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Lok Sabha Speaker of the House Judicial Supreme Court Chief Justice of the Supreme Court High Courts District Courts Constitution Fundamental Rights and Directive principles Regions States and territories... The Nagaland Peoples Front is a political party in the Indian state of Nagaland. ... The Nationalist Democratic Movement is a political part based in the Nagaland, India. ... Nationalist Trinamool Congress is a political party in India. ... Pattali Makkal Katchi (பாட்டாளி மக்கள் கட்சி, abbreviated PMK), a Tamil political party. ... RJD Womens wing office in Delhi The [Rashtriya Janata Dal]http://www. ... Rashtriya Lok Dal (National Peoples Party), a political party in India. ... Party flag Announcement of the 17th RSP National Conference in Pondicherry RSP-UTUC flagpole in Allepey, Kerala RSP poster in Kerala, honouring historical RSP leader T.K. Divakaran RSP mural in Agartala RSP election propaganda in Amarpur, Tripura Revolutionary Socialist Party is a Marxist-Leninist political party in India. ... Samajwadi Party flag Samajwadi Party (Socialist Party) is a political party in India. ... Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), registered with the Election Commission of India as Shiromani Akali Dal (Simranjit Singh Mann), a splinter group of the Shiromani Akali Dal led by Simranjit Singh Mann. ... Akali Dal, also termed as Shiromani Akali Dal (Akali Religious Party), is a Sikh political party mainly based in Punjab, India. ... The Sikkim Democratic Front is the largest and ruling party of the Indian state of Sikkim. ... Telugu Desam Party (Telugu :తెలుగు దేశం Party for Telugu Land and people) or TDP is a regional political party in Indias Andhra Pradesh state. ... The United Democratic Party is a political party recognised in Meghalaya state, India. ... United Goans Democratic Party one of the two former dominating political parties in the Indian state of Goa. ... Executive President Vice-President Prime Minister Deputy Prime Minister The Union Ministries Legislative Parliament Rajya Sabha Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Lok Sabha Speaker of the House Judicial Supreme Court Chief Justice of the Supreme Court High Courts District Courts Constitution Fundamental Rights and Directive principles Regions States and territories... Zoram Nationalist Party, formerly Mizo National Front (Nationalist), is a political party in Mizoram, India. ... All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (meaning All India Council of the Union of Muslims, name in Urdu: , Kul Hind Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen) is a Muslim political party India. ... Bharatiya Navshakti Party (Indian New Force Party), a political party in India. ... The Lok Jan Shakti Party is a political party in India. ... Executive President Vice-President Prime Minister Deputy Prime Minister The Union Ministries Legislative Parliament Rajya Sabha Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Lok Sabha Speaker of the House Judicial Supreme Court Chief Justice of the Supreme Court High Courts District Courts Constitution Fundamental Rights and Directive principles Regions States and territories... National Loktantrik Party (National Democratic Party), a political party in India, working amongst the Muslim minority community. ... Executive President Prime Minister The Union Ministries Legislative Parliament Rajya Sabha Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Lok Sabha Speaker of the House Judicial Supreme Court Chief Justice of the Supreme Court High Courts District Courts Constitution Fundamental Rights and Directive principles Regions States and territories Elections General Elections State Assembly... Samajwadi Janata Party (Rashtriya) (Socialist Peoples Party (National)), a political party in India led by former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar. ... Political parties Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      This is an overview of political parties by country, in the form of a table with a link to a list of political parties in each country and showing which party system is dominant in each country . ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

References